I need to apologize to everyone for being late with cheering in the New Year and thanking each and every one of you for your love, support and advocacy for dementia through my work here on Alzheimer’s Speaks. All though I had good intentions to write an article to celebrate the passing of another year, I just wasn’t ready to write an authentic piece. One I thought you all deserve.
You see this past year was a difficult for me and I needed to do a bit more processing of things from both my heart and mind before I sat down to write and express my gratitude. So here it is. I hope you enjoy it.
2015 Allows Opportunity to Change and Expand
Through Death and Loss I Have Learned So Much
On February 28th, 2014, my Mother passed away after a 30 Year battle with dementia.
She was a New Years baby and so the 1st, was always Mom’s day… a big party to honor her.
This year a visit to the cemetery.
Shortly after, our beloved puppy, “Mr. Mario” passed and joined my mother.
To say 2014, was a good year is difficult at best to say, especially when I feel I have lost so much in my life. Yet, when I’m able to sit back and reflect on why these losses are hitting me so hard, I have to smile. The great love I was gifted in my life to feel such overwhelming grief really has been such a blessing. When I allow myself to look at my loss as a gift of great opportunity and to appreciate the priceless value of my relationships with others – family, friends, co-workers, pets, children and yes, even strangers. Each and every encounter with another is a blessing in it’s own fashion. An opportunity to smell the roses and watch the petals of life unfold as they bask in the love and light of a simple moment in time, so many of us take for granted.
Each of these encounters affords us the opportunity to make a particular moment in time memorial or not. We have the power to make an amazing difference in the life of another, which then effects us on level we sometimes don’t even know. Sometimes, too late to tell the other party.
My goal for 2015, is to be more present not only with others, but nature in general as well as myself when I am alone. I want to slow down and live with gratitude, even when things don’t make sense and seem to be going south, when I want to go north. I am going to chose to embrace the thought, I am never alone… that none of us are. I am going to not only chose to believe this but to actually live my life more authentically knowing there is a grand plan which all of us are players in. One which wants a beautiful life for each of us. But I also believe that in order to value beauty we sometimes when need to be tested to see the ugly or scary side of things. It’s like the Ying and Yang. We can’t have a high without a low which puts things in perspective. Sometimes it is easier to see how lucky we are when we see someone less fortunate.
I know over the years, I’ve also learned to find beauty in what I used to think was not proper, or ugly or whatever term you want to use. But as I’ve gotten older, I have found if I just stop and take the time to look for the simplest of beauties… I could find them. I am choosing in 2015 to be more conscious of how I live my life. I hope you will join me in finding beauty and a sense of peace in your life too.
My we each cheer in 2015, in our own unique way.
My we all be kinder to ourselves and others.
My we embrace each moment before us looking for the beauty in life.
My we each love fully understanding the pain of our loss which evidentially will occur,
is a gift only great love can give.
Please know I am here to support you any way I can.
Again thank you for your love, support and advocacy.
Lori La Bey founder of Alzheimer’s Speaks
For additional information on Dementia and Caregiving go to:
My we always know we are not alone.
